Folding-machine.



No. 839,899. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

W. SPALGKHAVER, FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION TILED JULYI, 1905.

WILLIAM SPALCKHAVERyOF NEW YORK, .J. Y., ASSlGNOR TQ rnrns'r ()FFICE.

nosna'r HOE,'OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed July 1, 1905. SeriahNo. 267,947.

1 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SPALCK- HAVER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, resid- Lngat New York, county of Kin s, and State of ew York,have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in FoldingMachines,

' fully descrlbed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying ments in folding-machines.

, folding printed sheets, such as awmgs, forming apart of the "Thisinvention relates to same. certam 1n1pr0veparticularly in newspapers, it

In folding sheets, and more is 'customar y after the sheet has beenfolded 'Which fold is on a line at to page size to give it a single foldat right angles to the columns of the page, this fold .b emg known asthe carrier-fold. Most newspapers are delivered folded in this man Insome instances the paper is given what is sometimes termed amailing-fold, right angles to the these papers being mg-wrap- In someinstances still another fold is given the aper, this fold being arallelto the last f0 d and central of the f0 ded sheet, this fold bringing thepaper down to the roper size for the wrapper which is placed t iereon,so that it is not necessary to fold during the Wrapping preceding orcarrier fold,

operation.

. the folded publication make a Certain publications the pages of whichare considerably smaller than the ordinary newspaper-page are preparedfor delivery by giving them a fold transverse to the page and then asecond fold parallel thereto. T his method of folding has the advantagethat displays the entire page head or name of the publication. Thismethod of folding cannot, however, be adopted in newspapers for thereason that two folds such as have been. described would ackage toolarge to be easily handled, and if the paper be given still anotherarallel fold the package would be clums or mailing purposes' It is theobject of this invention to produce a folding-machine which shall reducea sheet, newspaper, or similar publication to a convenient size formailing or the pocket, the folds being reduced in such a manner as tomake it possible to display the head of the page which ma contain thetitle of the pubicatlon. V

The invention. extends to certain details of construction, as willhereinafter appear.

With these and other ob ects not specific- "ally referred to in view theinvention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts,improvements, and combinations, as

will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out.

In the drawing the figure represents in diagrammatic side elevation a.folding nachine embodying the invention.

In the machine illustrated in the drawing, which machine is particularlyadapted for folding newspapers, devices are, employed for giving thesheet what may be termed a central-page fold. When a machine embodyingthe invention contains mechanism for giving this central-page fold, itmay be of any suitable or desired character. in the particularconstruction illustrated there is provided a pair of cylinders i 2, thecylinder 1 being a cuttingwylindcr of ordinary construction and thecylinder 2 being a foldingcylinder, such as is commonly used inconnection therewith, this cylinder being provided with rotating blades3 4. These rotat ing blades cooperate with a pair of rolls 5, theconstructlon and operation of devices of this character being wellunderstoo When devices such as have been described are employed in themachine, the sheet after being folded is forwarded to other folding de-'vices by which it is given two parallel folds, the first of which is atunequal distances from the front and rear edges of the sheet, the sheet,if it be a folded sheet, being forwarded in a path at right angles toitsfolded edge.

The folding devices by. which the folds just referred to are effectedmay be of any desired character. In the articular construction shown twopairs of re is are employed, the rolls of one pair being marked 6 andthe rolls of the other pair being marked 7. Cooperating ed on a shaft 9.This shaft is mounted in bearings carried on projections 10 from across-bar 11, this bar rotating 011 journals 12. The bar is rotated by agear 13 in mesh with a gear 14, which forms part of a train from themain driving-shaft of the machine, the speed of rotation bein such thatthe blade meets anc folds each sheet as it is advanced by thesheet-forwarding mechanism, to be with these rolls is a blade 8, whichis mountit is drawn by the folding operation.

hereinafter described. The blade not only rotates about the axis of thebar 11, but also has a rotating movementabout its own center, this beingproduced by a gear .15 travcling on a stationary internal gear,(indicated at 16.) These gears 16 are so related to ach other that theblade is in tucking position with respect to the rolls 6 7 as it passesthem in its rotation around the axis of the bar 11. This general typeoffolding mechanism is well known in the art, and any other suitableform of, mechanism maybe substituted t herefor.

The sheets after having the rolls 5 are directed by a switch 17 into atape-pathway consisting of upper and lower tapes 18 19. The tapes l.)pass over rolls 20, 2 l, and 22 to the right-hand one of the rolls 6.From this roll they pass. down between the rolls (3, un der theleft-hand roll 6, and then over rolls 23, 24, and 25. From the roll theypass between the rolls 7 and around the left-hand one of the rolls 7.After leaving the rolls? they pass over aseries ol' guidewolls 26'to aroll 27, which is located adjacent to another folding mechanism, whichwill be hereinafter described. From this roll 27 they pass under a roll28 to and. around a roll. 29, located on the other side of-the foldingmechanism referred to and then back to guideaolls 30 and 31. The tapes18 run around a roll 32, which in the partieulai' machine illustrated isshown as located between the rolls .20 and 2] and is positioned so as togive the tapes :1 ppm bend between these rolls. From the roll, 32 these.tapes pass over the rolls 2! and 12 before referred to and to and arounda guide-roll 33, which located to the left of the lOftll{i-l'l(l roll 6.

and 25 referred to. After leaving. the roll 25 these tapes pass over aroll ttt, l()('lll(.(l to the right of the right-hand roll '7. From thisroll 34 they pass around the right-hand roll 7 and between these rolls.From these rolls they run through the group of rolls as referred toand-around the rolls 27 and 23. From the roll 28 they return aroundrolls 35, 36, and 37. After leaving the rolls the sheet is directed bythe switch 17 and an upper guide 38 into the pathway formed byt he tapesbefore described and is carried along until it meets and is folded bythe blade R and the cooperating rolls 6. The front :'.i(l of the sheetis freed from the grip of the tapes as it passes over the right-handroll, the loop ormed by the run of the tap b in around the roll 33forming a pocket into which the lead- I I i l 111g end of the sheet canrun and out of which This blade 8 and the speed oi the tapes are sotimed that the blade. as has been before indicated, gives the sheet afold which is at onequal distances from its front and rear ed ges.

hrorn this roll 32% these T taies run betweenthe rolls (3, around theloft-hand roll, and then over the guides 2.3.24,

In the best constructions this fold will be at a 1 l distance from thefront edge of the sheet equal to one-third of its-length.

.While the tape pathway might be desheet to the blade, in theconstruction shown folding position. After the'sheet h'asbeen tucked bythe blade between the rolls 6 and the fold formed it is forwarded by thetapes around under the roll 7, the leading end of the sheet, as before,running into a pocket formed by the run of the tapes 18 around the troll34. A stop, as 40, may, if desired, bev

madein such a way that the sheet, referrin to its length as'it entersthe tapes, is reduce to m1e-third of its length by folds which are equalin. size. In many cases it will be desirable to give the sheet anadditional fold, which reduces its width. In the best constructions thisfold will be made centrally of I the width of the sheet, and it may begiven the sheet by mechanisnrof any desired char- 1 actor. in theconstruction shown the sheet 1 is rarried by the run of the tapesheretofore described between guides 41 and 42, these guides underlyinga. folding-blade 43, harm an upward extension 44, pivoted to a the bladereceives a parallel motion. This is a usual construction offolding-blade and may be operated in any desired nr-n'ner. Thisfolding-blame tucks the sheet between rolls 47, which in turn deliver itto a lotating flydeliver 48, also of usual type. This fly-deliverydeposits the folded papers on a traveling belt, one of the soporting-rolls of which is indicated at 49. T ns rotating fly and therolls 47 and 49 are driven in the usual inanuer by gearing, which isillustrated in the drawings, but which it is not necessary to idescribe.

In addition to the deliverybefore described it may be desired to deliverthe pa ers directly from. the rtills 5 without furt ier fold 1 than itreceives front these rolls. When this is desired, the machine maybeprovided with i a rotating fly-delivery 50, and the guide 17, i beforereferred to, will be formed as a switch, which may be thrown in so as toclose the iathwav between this guide and the guide 38. W hen this is tobe done, the papers will be de pended on entirelyjho properly presentthe these folds in the best constructions being.

rock-aria -15, a link 46 being provided so that' a stop, as 39, isemployed, against which the' leading end of the sheet abuts as it comesinto oemploy'ed to stop the sheet in'the proper polivered directly fromthe rolls 5 into the rotating :tly delivery andwill be deposited by iton traveling tapes 51. This fly-delivery 50 will be driven by gearin(generally indicated in the drawings,) W iich it is unnecessary todescribe.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which thisinvention is carried into effect. The invention is not, therefore, to belimited to the specific details of construction hereinbefore described.

What is claimed is- 1. In a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing,the combination with a rotary folder for giving asheet a central fold,of a sheetforwarding mechanism operating to forward the sheet in a pathat right angles to its fold ed edge, means for giving the sheet a foldat unequal distances from its front and rear edges, and means for givingthe sheet thus 'olded another fold parallel to thepreceding old.

2. In a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing, the combinationwith a rotary folder for giving a sheet a central fold, of asheetforwarding mechanism operating to forward he sheet in a path atright angles toits folded edge, means forgiving the sheet a fold atunequal distances from its front and rear edges, means for giving thesheet thus folded another fold parallel to the preceding fold, andi'neans for giving the'sheet thus folded a fold at right angles to saidfolds,

3. in a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing, the combinationwith a tape-pathway, of means located in said pathway for giving thesheet two parallel folds, the first of which is at unequal distancesfrom the front and rear edges of the sheet, and means for giving thesheet thus folded another fold at right angles to said folds.

4. In a delivery for folding newspapers for .mailing, the combinationwith a tape'pathway, of a blade, cooperating folding devices, means foroperating the blade to give the sheet passing along the pathway twoparallel folds, the first of which is at unequal dis tances from thefront and rear edges of the sheet, and means for giving the sheet thusfolded another fold at right angles to-said folds.

5. In a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing, the combinationwith two pairs of foldingrolls, of a folding-blade arranged to cooperateat one time with one pair and at another time with the other pair, ofmeans for presenting a sheet to the blade and roils, so that it will begiven two parallel folds, the first of which will be at unequaldistances from the front and rear edges of the sheet, and means forgiving the sheet thus folded RTOlllcI fold at right angles tothe-preceding fold.

6. in a delivery for folding newspapers for foldingaolls, of a rotatingfolding-blade arranged to cooperate at one time with one pair of rollsand at another time with the other pair of rolls, and a tape-pathwayar-' ranged to present a sheet to the first pair of rolls, so that thesheets will receive a fold at unequal distances from their front andrear edges and to the second pair of rolls so that they will receive afold centrally oi the folded sheet. I

7. In a delivery forfolding newspapers for mailing, the combination withtwo pairs of foldingrolls, of a rotating folding-blade arranged tocooperate at one time with one pair of rolls and at another time withthe other pair of rolls, a tape-pathway arranged to present a sheet tothe first pair of rolls, so that the sheets will receive a fold atunequal distances from their front and rear edges and to the second pairof rolls so that they will receive a fold centrally of the folded sheet,a second folding-blade and cooperating folding devices, and means forpresenting the sheet thereto so that it will receive a fold at rightangles to the preceding folds.

mailing, the combination with means for giving a sheet a central fold,ofa blade, two pairs of folding-rolls with which the blade cooperates,and means for forwarding the sheet in a path at right an des to itsfolded edge and for presenting the ghost to the blade and rolls so thatit will receive two parallel folds, the first of which is at unequaldistances from its front and rear edges.

9. in a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing, the combinationwith means for giving a sheet a central fold, of a blade, two pairs offolding-rolls with which the blade cooperates, means for forwarding thesheet in'a path at right angles to its folded edge and for presentingthe sheet to the blade and rolls so that it will receive two parallelfolds, the first df which is at, unequal distances from its front andrear edges, and means for giving the sheet a fold at right angles to thepreceding folds.

10. In a delivery for folding newspaper for mailing, the combination.with means for giving a sheet a central fold, of a blade, two pairs offolding-rolls with which the blade cooperates, means for forwarding thesheet in a path at right angles to its folded edge and for presentingthe sheet to the blade and rolls so that it will receit c two parallelfolds, the first of which is at unequal distances from its front andrear edges, and a folding-blade and cooperating devices for giving thesheet a fold at right angles to the preceding folds. 1l. In a deliveryfor folding newspapers for mailing, the combination with means forgiving the sheet a central fold, of a delivery for the sheets thusfolded, means. operating to forward the sheet in a path at right anglesto its folded edge, means for giving the sheet i 9 8. In a delivery forfolding newspapers for two parallel. folds, the first of which is atunequal distances from the fOltlOii edge, means i singles to fold willbe at unequal distances from the front and rein edges of the sheet, andmeans for giving the sheet it fold at right inigles to theprecedingfolds.

13. In a delivery for folding newspapers for mailil' g', the eomhimitienwith. meansf or giving the sheet :1. central fold, of two pairs off0lding-rolls, :L rotating folding-hlrule ceepersting with both pairso'frolls, and means including a. tape-pathway and suitable stops forforwarding the folded. sheet and presenting it to the blade and pairs ofrolls so that it will receive two parallel folds, the first of means forsending the I assess which is at unequal distances from the front '25and rear edges of the sheet.

14. In a delivery for folding newspapers for mailing, the combinationwith means for giving the sheet a central fold, of two pairs offolding-rolls, a rotating folding'blade cooper o sting with both pairsof rolls, means including a tape-pathway and suitable stops forforwarding the folded sheet and presenting it to the elude and pairs ofrolls so that it will receive two parallel folds, the first of 5 whichis at unequal distances from the front and rear edges of the sheet, anda blade and suitable folding-rollers for giving the sheet an additionalfold at right angles to the preceding folds.

In testin'ro'ny whcreoi I have hereunto set my lnnid in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLlAl l SPALOKHAVER.

